Authorized by President Woodrow Wilson on 6 March 1918. The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) was established pursuant to an Act of Congress, approved on 9 July 1918.

Criteria:

"A bronze cross of appropriate design and a ribbon to be worn in lieu thereof, to be awarded by the President, or in the name of the President, by the commanding general of the American Expeditionary Forces in Europe to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the Army, shall hereafter distinguish himself or herself, by extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United States under circumstances which do not justify the award of the medal of honor."

Navy Air Pilot - April 1918

Notes:

"The distinguished service cross and the distinguished service medal may be awarded posthumously to persons killed in the performance of acts meriting such award or to persons whose death from any cause may have occurred prior to such award. The medal so awarded will be issued to the nearest relative of the deceased person."

Navy Air Pilot - April 1918

For subsequent acts of heroism, recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross received an oak leaf cluster.